Gaming Monitor Shipments Up By 116% In 2020 To 18.4M Units; Projected To Grow To 26M In 2021
Gaming hardware orders and shipments set record highs in 2020 as people were forced to stay indoors and find alternative forms of entertainment. An estimated 18.4M units of gaming monitors were shipped in 2020, a more than 116% increase from 2019.
Gaming Monitor Shipment More Than Doubled In 2020 – 18.4M Units
Gaming monitors differ from regular monitors in that they are capable of high-performance and are classified as such if a monitor has a refresh rate of at least 100HZ. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, it forced upon nations, demand for such monitors increased dramatically in 2020.
A total of 18.4M gaming monitors were shipped in 2020 compared to just 8.5M in 2019 – a 116% YoY increase. The momentum built from 2020 is expected to continue into 2021 with gaming monitor shipments projected to grow a further 40.76% and reach 25.9M units shipped.
Popular computer hardware brand MSI experienced the highest growth among leading brands registering a 114% YoY increase in gaming monitor shipments. Asus had the highest YoY growth for monitor shipments (both gaming and non-gaming) among leading brands, buoyed by a 108% YoY increase in gaming monitor shipments. AOC/Philips also recorded triple-digit growth with a 102% YoY growth owing to the strong performance of their curved gaming monitors.
Halfway through 2020, forecasts showed that the shipment of curved monitors also increased significantly for the year. It was estimated that 12.9M units of curved monitors were shipped in 2020, a 24% increase from the 10.4M units that were sold in the year prior. A further 11.3M units of curved monitors are projected to be shipped in 2021.
“2020’s pandemic caused a significant spike for the entire gaming industry and gaming monitor brands took full advantage. Monitors as a whole experienced tremendous growth as people’s homes became an extension of their offices during the pandemic while gaming monitors particularly reached new heights. Expect this momentum to carry over the next few years as hybrid work models become a more permanent fixture in the corporate world.” - Rex Pascual
Many thanks to Audeze for supplying this product a review, my opinions are my own.
Before I jump into the review... you know what time it is, let's unbox!
The Audeze Mobius headphones look and feel great, but how do they feel and sound? Let's find out!
Quality + Comfort:Out of the gate... the look of the headphones matches the feel for the most part. The Audeze Mobius headphones go over the ear... so they aren't pressing directly on them. As you see here, the (replaceable) contoured memory foam earpads are shaped a certain way to better fit on our heads. If I pull it back a tad, the comfort level increases for me so that it's not pressing on the area between the ear and upper jawbone.
If I want to extend my tolerance time, I move the earpads forward until they're touching the back of my ear (resting on the upper back of my cheekbone slightly).
I was a bit concerned about the comfort initially because I am still sensitive regarding headphone comfort but after a slight adjustment, I decreased the clamp pressure on my head by 50% or so without the headphone sag. These headphones don't have a snap adjustment, so the adjustments can be as slight as you want them to be (I haven't noticed a slip). If you feel like the ear cups are pressing against the cheek a little too much, turn them out. This also increased the comfort for me and I was able to turn the initial hour into about 3.5 to 4 hours of enjoyment during my initial test.
After increased use, the memory foam definitely helped.
The earpads have a full DJ-style swivel that doesn't squeeze the neck at all, I'm talking 0%. I absolutely love the fact that these headphones have enough space for the head to do a full turn back and forth... even in a polo tee (and I have a thick neck). If they were for the PC only, that wouldn't matter as much... but you can take these on the go without that uncomfortable cheek or chin rub.
The headphones have a form of artificial leather on them, which feels sturdy and soft around the flexible frame. I checked to find out the level of quality these earpads have as far as the leather is concerned, but I couldn't find anything specific. I will say that they feel similar to those I've experienced that is a higher level and don't feel like it's just a coating.
The beauty of these types of earpads is that they're not as porous as the cloth ones, but if you live in a hot climate like I do... you can work up a sweat so make sure that you take care of your earpads to decrease the build-up of sweat and dirt. You won't have to replace the earpads as often if you clean them after use and store them properly.
You can use a clean soft (slightly) damp cloth to wipe the headphones. Use water or a cleaning product specific to leather. By the way, don't leave the headphones just sitting in direct sunlight, because this will affect the leather by causing them to dry up and crack (trust me). If you have a case... use it!
There will be a time where replacement earpads are needed (in my opinion), so I recommend getting a replacement pair with your headphones to store away. The same model headphones don't remain on the market forever... so if they're above a certain price point, I recommend grabbing these.
By the way, all your controls and connections are all in one place. So you don't have to remember which ear they're on... more so than where they're placed. The 3D centering is the first button, the 2nd is the Mic port, the 3rd USB-C port for charging & PC audio, the 4th is the 3.5mm port, the 5th is the Mic volume control, 6th is the Headphone volume control. Mic mute/Unmute and the Power buttons are on the flat side of the left ear's exterior. The placement works once you figure out the Mic volume from the Headphone volume, and I'm glad they put the Mute/Unmute & Power buttons in a different area.
I've centered the headphones with my ring finger, muted/unmuted and turned on the headphones with my pointer, and adjusted the volume with my thumb. This is how the controls are placed.
Sound: Right off the bat, when I used these headphones... I noticed a stand-out feature. These are 3D headphones, so I was curious about what that meant for these headphones. I've used headphones that mention a 3D feature before... and it was primarily based on the surround sound feature, but these headphones actually track the sound no matter where you turn your head.
That's pretty badass, and some of you may wonder what good is this feature if you need to face the screen... but think about the various screen types and entertainment. If you have a curved monitor and you need to look off to the side, the sound doesn't shift with these headphones... it continues to come from the same direction it did prior to you turning your head.
To be more specific, if you turned your head while talking to your friend (in person)... they wouldn't automatically move to the position where you turned your head. You would still hear your friend talking from the direction they were speaking, which definitely adds more depth to the gameplay and gives an edge as far as competition goes. I won't say that other 3D headphones don't deliver, but this actually delivers more because the sound in the digital environment doesn't shift with head movement.
That's the best way I can describe it, and when you apply something like this to ASMR (yeah... here I go again with the ASMR)... it's even better. I've experienced certain ASMR videos and audio where the direction seemed off like maybe the person recorded in the wrong direction... but all you have to do is turn around.
The features that make this possible are:
Waves Nx Tech for 3D Hardware Processing - Onboard head-tracking tech.
Integrated Low Latency Head Tracking - This decreases the chance of lag when you turn your head.
Anatomy Calibration - Uses the size of your noggin/head to boost audio accuracy.
3D Audio & Ambisonics Support - This is for VR/AR content (which I didn't get a chance to test).
3D Sound Localization
Customizable Room Emulation - Based on research, this delivers sound that you would hear in a certain room size (Could be the "Duh of the Day" for some of you).
I did notice that I had to turn off the 3D feature when using Dolby Atmos in order to increase the accuracy of the software.
As far as the actual audio specs go:
Max SPL: >120dB - Even if these headphones deliver >120dB... just keep in mind that listening at the max sound pressure level isn't recommended based on OSHA safety standards.
OSHA allows for 8 hours at 90dB, 2 hours at 100dB, while NIOSH recommends 8 hours max to <85dB. NIOSH recommends less than 15 minutes at 100dB, and I just want to mention this because with great headphones comes great responsibility.
THD: <0.1% - These headphones are right where they need to be in terms of the ideal percentage of THD... for adults and children. This prevents the various sounds from being similar and allows for better clarity in terms of identifying what something is. This is important for kids especially... because they need to learn what sounds like what.
Frequency response: 10Hz - 50kHz - When it comes to this measurement of the SPL, the lower end represents the bass and the higher end represents the treble.
Transducer size: 100mm - This is your headphone driver and the thing that produces the sound.
Magnetic structure: Fluxor magnet array - This is a brand-patented feature that guides sound waves, and reduces distortion for the most accurate audio they can deliver. Get more detail about that feature, here.
Magnet type: Neodymium N50 - Based on my research, these are the strongest type of permanent magnets available and they can produce better magnetic fields with less. So you get less weight in your headphones, but what they actually do for your audio is produce higher sound output with less power. In other words, you get higher sound pressure levels (SPL).
Diaphragm type: Ultra-thin Uniforce - A wide thin conductor that takes advantage of the magnetic field so that the full diaphragm has the same force. This patented tech delivers virtually distortion-free listening experiences with the greatest accuracy and detail in any headphone (in the known universe), according to Audeze.
All that said, how do they deliver? The mids and highs are great, and I did get the bass to emerge... it just boiled down to what I was playing or listening to (still felt a bit shy, until I jumped into some bass-rich rap, action games, and action movies).
I was able to switch up the sound profiles to tweak the listening experience, but I will get back to that in the next section. Here are some of the movies, music, and games I played using the headphones:
Jay-Z - 30 Something
Rick Ross - Carol City
Just Cause 3
Just Cause 4
Tom Clancy's No Remorse
Army of the Dead
In the box + Features:
In the box:
Audeze Mobius 7.1 3D Headphones
Directional microphone with volume control + a switch that confirms that your mic is muted or not.
USB-C to USB-C cable
USB-C to USB cable
3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
Cloth headphone storage bag
Manual Alignment or Intelligent Auto-Align
Bluetooth w/ SBC + AAC + LDAC
When you mute and unmute... you'll know, because the headphones will tell you.
Under the hood of the earpads, the Audeze Mobius headphones feature:
100mm Planar Transducers
Fazer Wave Guides
Audeze Cipher DSP
Room Emulation
Head movements are tracked per millisecond
Anatomy Calibration
3D Audio Positioning
Audeze HQ is software specifically for the Mobius and Primrose headphones.
As seen in the video preview, you get the option of various sound profiles that do little tweaks here and there. I didn't notice a great change, but maybe that's just me. The Flat was the most noticeable, followed by Music and Foot Steps. Click play for a tour of the UI.
Price: The Audeze Mobius Headphones retail for $399... which is okay based on the onboard head tracking that retails for $99.99 alone. Take away this feature and I'd price them at about $250 to $300.
Quality + Comfort 5
Sound 5
In the box + Features 4 (due to the lack of an IP rating)
Purchase by July 8, 2021, 11:59 pm EDT to receive the Kamura Maiden Outfit for Ena. This outfit lets you dress Ena as a hub maiden from Kamura village, as featured in Monster Hunter Rise!
May become available at a later date.
Changes Ena's appearance only.
A new adventure awaits you in this second installment of the turn-based RPG series set in the world of Monster Hunter! Become a Rider and form bonds with friendly monsters known as Monsties to fight alongside them as you take part in an epic story.
You play as the grandson of Red, a legendary Rider. The story begins with a fateful encounter with Ena, a Wyverian girl who has been entrusted with an egg with the potential to hatch into a legendary Rathalos which could wreak havoc if awakened to its destructive power.
Embark on a journey that will test the bonds of friendship in a changing world, and discover the truth behind the legends of old.
Mobile Gaming In The US To Hit $20B Revenue Mark In 2021
The mobile gaming segment accounts for the largest share of revenue of the entire US video game industry. In 2020 revenue from mobile games amounted to $18.3B after experiencing a growth of 19.5% in the pandemic stricken year of 2020. In 2021 revenue from mobile games is projected to increase a further 12.1% reaching $20.5B.
From 2021-2025 revenue from mobile games is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.67% adding almost $10B in revenue by the end of the forecast period.
150M US Mobile Game Users In 2021; Penetration Rate To Pass 50% In 2023
In 2019 there were 136.6M mobile game users in the US which grew by 10.2% in 2020 to 150.5M. A further 5.4M users are projected to be added by the end of 2021. From 2021-2025 mobile game users in the US are projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.85% reaching 181.3M by the end of the forecast period.
The penetration rate of mobile games in the US is the highest in the world at 46.8% in 2021. In comparison, China, the world’s largest gaming market, only had the third-highest penetration rate at 38.8% for the same reporting period. Notably, the penetration rate for mobile games in the US is projected to breach the 50% mark for the first time in 2023.
In terms of age groups, 25-34-year-olds had the largest share of mobile gamers with 32.7%. Age grits 18-24 and 35-44 accounted for a similar share at 23.6% and 23.5%. 13.9% of mobile game users were from the 45-54 age group while a still notable 6.4% belong to the 55-64-year-old age group. | Rex Pascual
Make Out Like a Bandit inRisk of Rain 2- New Survivor, Boss and More Now Available onConsoles
Free content update celebrates the roguelike’s two-year anniversary of hitting Steam Early Access
FRISCO, Texas – June 29, 2021 – Hopoo Games and Gearbox Publishing today announced the free Anniversary Update for Risk of Rain 2 is now available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 owners can also enjoy today’s update through their system’s native backward compatibility. Players on Nintendo Switch can anticipate the update soon.
The Anniversary Update features the return of classic survivor Bandit from the original Risk of Rain. Also included is the legendary boss Grandparent, more items, additional skill variants for the other survivors, a huge drop of lore entries, and much more. The update is a “thank you” to fans for supporting the game since its Steam Early Access debut two years ago. Risk of Rain 2 has more than four million copies sold on Steam alone and received ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ Steam Reviews alongside an 85% on Metacritic.
Here’swhat’s new:
Bandit and a New Boss! The fan-favorite classic returns from the first Risk of Rain with a new bag of tricks! Armed with a shotgun, dagger and smoke bombs, the Bandit stabs, blasts and slashes with the best of them – but can they withstand the might of the legendary Grandparent?
Character and Stage Updates: More skill variants mean that every character now sports three variant skills, with additional gameplay enhancements for Commando, MUL-T, REX, Captain, Loader, and Mercenary. !SPOILER WARNING!The final stage has also been redone from the ground up, including new objectives, challenges, and a new Lunar Chimera monster type !SPOILER WARNING!
New Stackable Items: Constantly cut nearby enemies with a slow spinning ball of death, or take an egg and receive healing when you’re attacked – just two of the latest additions in the game’s arsenal of more than 115 items. New challenges and unlockable skill variants add new strategic potential, while new lore entries flesh out the universe of Risk of Rain 2.
Largest Logbook Update Ever: Browse past runs and lifetime player stats - like favorite survivors, progress to completion, and favorite equipment - in the Logbook alongside 88 new lore entries.
Quality of Life Improvements: New items, new challenges, bug fixes, performance optimizations, improved AI pathing, and more!
Hopoo Games shared more about the new update, their journey, and the future expansion in their latest Dev Thoughts #20 post.
“The Anniversary Update is a huge ‘thank you’ for our fans who have been with us since the beginning as well as an opportunity to revisit a lot of the things we couldn’t finish up for the official launch,” said Paul Morse and Duncan Drummond, co-founders of Hopoo Games. “We have a lot of exciting things coming and we can’t wait to share more with you soon.”
Risk of Rain 2 is a fast-paced, co-op roguelike shooter developed by Hopoo Games and published by Gearbox Publishing. Players can team with up to three other friends, play as over 10 unique Survivors, and trek through more than a dozen stages to escape the alien planet. With unlockable alternate abilities, tons of items to discover on runs, and equippable Artifacts to shake up gameplay, no two runs are ever the same.
The Anniversary Update for Risk of Rain 2 is now available on Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Google Stadia. The update will be available for Nintendo Switch players in the future. Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 owners can also enjoy today's update through their system's native backwards compatibility.
